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Martin Sorrell's WPP already owns a small stake in Spot Runner, but could move to take it over to complement an earlier online advertising company purchase.

When ad networks were swapping "For Sale" for "Sold" signs earlier in 2007, Google, Microsoft, and to a lesser extent, Yahoo, all figured in those transactions. There was another big deal that took place for an online ad network, only the buyer wasn't one known for being a big Internet player.

Sorrell is very much known in advertising circles, as the helm of WPP. He's been critical of Google's proposed acquisition of DoubleClick, while purchasing 24/7 Real Media for his firm. WPP may be poised to do more.

The New York Post said Sorrell wants more of Spot Runner than the three percent he owns now. Spot Runner has similar goals to the secretive Google TV project: becoming a go-to destination for small businesses who want to advertise on TV.

"It is a business-to-business model that is perfect for a traditional ad agency," the Post said in citing a source familiar with WPP investments.

Google against WPP, the Google executive techie trinity of Schmidt, Page, and Brin versus the steeped in Machiavellian tradition Sorrell, this should be fun to watch. Maybe Vegas will put a line on this matchup.